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Maya Lopez: The Woman At The End Of Episode 2 Of Hawkeye?

hawkeye-episode-2-kate

With its first two installments in the books, the latest Disney+ offering from Marvel Studios,’ “Hawkeye,” is already off to a strong start. Despite pre-existing plans to spend the holiday season with his family post-“Avengers: Endgame,” Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) gets sucked into a potentially deadly feud between Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) and a persistent criminal faction known as the Tracksuit Mafia.

Having encountered them before during his time as the Ronin, Hawkeye knows what to expect from the group of villains, or at least that’s what he thought prior to the second episode.

In the closing moments of “Hawkeye” episode two, the titular archer gets himself captured by the Tracksuit Mafia as part of his elaborate plan. After some banter with the goons, Barton frees himself from his restraints and takes control of the situation. However, Bishop’s unexpected intervention and subsequent failure to contend with her enemies’ firearms leads both of our heroes to end up captive.

Hawkeye

 

As a result, the Tracksuit Mafia brings one of its figureheads into the equation — a silent, dark-haired woman whose facial expressions and mannerisms indicate that she’s all business.

So who is this mysterious girl, and what does her presence mean for the Marvel Cinematic Universe at large? Here’s what we know.

Say hello to Echo aka Maya Lopez

The woman making her MCU debut at the tail end of “Hawkeye” episode two goes by the name Maya Lopez but is perhaps better known as Echo. Upstart actress Alaqua Cox has signed on to play the deaf vigilante, and if she’s anything like her comic book counterpart, she’ll become a major player in the franchise in no time.

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Why Does Hawkeye Sacrifice Himself in What If…? Episode 8?

Created by Joe Quesada and David Mack, Echo introduced herself in “Daredevil” #9 from May of 1999 as a capable fighter and expert marksman, with a dramatic backstory that rivals the best Marvel Comics has to offer.

Hawkeye's Maya Lopez

Following the death of her father at the hands of Wilson “Kingpin” Fisk, the young Echo (or Maya Lopez) was taken in by the notorious crime boss — living a life of luxury and educational pampering. As one could imagine, Fisk didn’t do this out of the kindness of his heart. He transformed her into a weapon and eventually sent her out to defeat one of his greatest rivals, Daredevil.

She fails and learns of Fisk’s role in her dad’s murder, prompting her to turn on her surrogate parent and abandon his care — reconciling with Matt Murdock shortly thereafter.

Read this:

Hawkeye’s Death Mirrors Black Widow’s in Avengers: Endgame

As the years have gone on, Echo has done some incredible things in print. She has taken on the Ronin mantle, fought off the shapeshifting Skrulls during the “Secret Invasion” storyline, aligned with the New Avengers, and even hosted the fabled yet feared Phoenix Force.

Suffice to say, Alaqua Cox’s take on the character can go in virtually any direction in the MCU beyond “Hawkeye.”

 

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